The contributions of prefrontal cortex and executive control to deception: evidence from activation likelihood estimate meta-analyses

Abstract

Previous neuroimaging studies have implicated the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nearby brain regions in deception. This is consistent with the hypothesis that lying involves the executive control system. To date, the nature of the contribution of different aspects of executive control to deception, however, remains unclear. In the present study, we utilized an activation likelihood estimate (ALE) method of meta-analysis to quantitatively identify brain regions that are consistently more active for deceptive responses relative to truthful responses across past studies. We then contrasted the results with additional ALE maps generated for 3 different aspects of executive control: working memory, inhibitory control, and task switching. Deception-related regions in dorsolateral PFC and posterior parietal cortex were selectively associated with working memory. Additional deception regions in ventrolateral PFC, anterior insula, and anterior cingulate cortex were associated with multiple aspects of executive control. In contrast, deception-related regions in bilateral inferior parietal lobule were not associated with any of the 3 executive control constructs. Our findings support the notion that executive control processes, particularly working memory, and their associated neural substrates play an integral role in deception. This work provides a foundation for future research on the neurocognitive basis of deception.

Figure 1.

Previously reported foci demonstrating greater activation for deceptive responses (i.e., lies) as compared with truthful responses overlaid on the results from the ALE meta-analysis. ALE data were thresholded at a value of 0.00502 (which corresponds to p < 0.05 False Discovery Rate corrected). Foci were projected by study-specific stereotaxic projection to the PALS-B12 atlas surface (see Materials and Methods) and are viewed on the inflated PALS atlas surface (Van Essen 2005), color coded based on paradigm type/content. The upper and lower panels show foci in relation to lateral and medial views of the average fiducial surface, respectively. Selected classical Brodmann areas (black borders) as well as orbitofrontal areas (light blue borders) from Öngür et al. (2003) are also illustrated. On all surfaces, foci are shown “pasted” to the surface, irrespective of whether their 3D coordinates lie above or below the surface.

Figure 2.

Results of the working memory (green), inhibitory control (red), task switching (blue), and deception (black borders) ALE analyses viewed on the inflated PALS atlas surface (Van Essen 2005).